Thomson Reuters
Haitian immigrants and supporters rally to reject DHS Decision to terminate TPS for Haitians, at the Manhattan borough in New York
- Some cities in the US have been ramping up their efforts to attract newcomers, even as President Donald Trump's administration rails against illegal and legal forms of immigration.
- But as the Trump administration cracks down on immigration, a number of cities across the US are opening their arms to newcomers by implementing immigrant-friendly programs or policies.
President Donald Trump's administration is cracking down on all corners of the US immigration system, but some cities have opened their arms wide instead.
Across the US, cities have begun rolling out immigrant-friendly policies, rethinking the way their police departments cooperate with federal immigration authorities, and launching sweeping campaigns designed to attract newcomers.
According to a list compiled by TransferWise and the New York Immigration Coalition, the top 10 cities for immigrants range geographically but have a few common programs or policies that either assist immigrants in integrating into their new communities, enable affordable lifestyles, or help shield them from deportation.
The list creators analyzed the 50 most populous cities in the US and scored them based on nine criteria. They range from quality of life factors, like the average cost of living, and immigrant-friendly policies, like the degree to which local law enforcement cooperates with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Other criteria included high school graduation rates, minimum wage, affordability of public transportation, universal preschool, municipal ID programs, offices dedicated to immigrant affairs or "new Americans," and whether the cities labeled themselves "sanctuary cities."